Press Release
The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) has documented the referral of Sameh Zakaria, an employee at the Ambulance Authority, to the State Security Criminal Court after surpassing the legal two-year limit for pretrial detention in Case No. 2412 of 2022 under the jurisdiction of the Supreme State Security Prosecution.
This referral coincided with a breach of the legal limit for pretrial detention by eight days, in clear violation of the Criminal Procedure Code and Article 143, which stipulates that pretrial detention must not exceed 24 months.
CFJ reported that Sameh Zakaria, who was arrested on August 22, 2022, was subjected to enforced disappearance for four months before making his first appearance before the prosecution in December 2022. Despite the expiration of the legal pretrial detention period, the defense team was surprised by the referral of the case to the State Security Emergency Criminal Court under Case No. 1007 of 2024, without Zakaria being presented to the prosecution again.
It is noteworthy that Sameh Zakaria was neither a political activist nor a prominent opposition figure but rather a dedicated employee at the Ambulance Authority. He played a vital role in the rapid response teams that provide security coverage for international conferences and senior officials. Zakaria relies entirely on his work to support his family, which includes his wife, three children, and elderly mother. Additionally, he suffers from critical health conditions that have worsened due to medical negligence while in detention.
For its part, CFJ strongly opposes the referral of Sameh Zakaria to an exceptional court such as the State Security Emergency Criminal Court. The committee demands that his right to appear before a regular judge and to be tried under an ordinary legal framework consistent with international standards of justice be respected. CFJ also emphasizes the importance of ending practices that violate citizens’ rights and undermine trust in the justice system.
